


To See Some Fortune In Tomorrow

by Spax99



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Pre-Canon, birbdad au, ships can be read as romantic or platonic, vague ships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-10-22 13:56:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17663927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spax99/pseuds/Spax99
Summary: By some twist of fate, Qrow Branwen meets a young Oscar Pine, and finds another person to protect.





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! This is my first fanfic for the RWBY fandom, I hope it's not trash.  
> This is based off of an AU where Qrow meets Oscar when Oscar is young, way before he becomes Ozpin's host. I made a post on my outlining the details of the AU here https://conehatboyf.tumblr.com/post/182328703085/okay-but-imagine-a-rwby-au-where-qrow-meets-oscar  
> I hope you enjoy!

Today was not Qrow's day.

It was supposed to be a simple field mission. A pack of Grimm were threatening a small farm village somewhere near the edge of the kingdom of Mistral. The village (too small to even be considered a town, really) didn’t have a huntsman and required outside assistance. One or two Grimm, they could handle, but not a whole pack.

Normally, that wouldn't be Qrow's problem. He typically dealt with reconnaissance missions; eliminating a pack of Grimm was, in his opinion, somewhat below his pay grade.

But he was the only huntsman in the immediate area, so it became his responsibility.

He whirled around, slicing through a Beowolf as he spun. It wasn't difficult work, just tedious. He stabbed another Beowolf. Monotonous. He stabbed yet another. Boring.

He was pulled from his thoughts as a scream for help pierced through the air.

“Dammit,” he mumbled, running towards the source of the scream. He should've been far enough out to keep the Grimm from coming into contact with civilians. Someone--a kid, by the sound of it-- must have wandered too close.

Qrow crashed through the wooded area as fast as he could. He thought back to the time he saved Yang and Ruby from Grimm in the forest in Patch, several years ago now. If he had been a second later, his nieces would have died. 

‘What if this time you don't make it?’

He shook his head; that kind of thinking wouldn’t do anyone any good. He pushed himself to run faster, slicing cleanly through Grimm he encountered as he went.

He broke through the tree line into a clearing. There were 3 Beowolves in small break in the trees, surrounding a boy of about 6 years old.

Qrow let out a wordless cry, drawing the attention of the Grimm away from the child. He was surprised (and grateful) that the boy had the sense to remain quiet-- a lot of kids in this situation would be screaming for their parents. It made his job of drawing the Grimm's attention significantly easier, so he wasn't complaining.

The 3 Beowolves came at him. Qrow crouched into a defensive position, his weapon gripped tightly, ready to strike. When they were nearly upon him, Qrow swung his weapon in a wide arc, slicing through all 3 Grimm in one go.

He stood, panting, as the Grimm disintegrated and silence fell over the clearing. He listened for signs of other Grimm in the area, but heard nothing but his own breathing. Deciding they were out of the woods (figuratively, not literally), he sheathed his weapon and cautiously approached the boy.

He was curled up defensively at the base of a tree, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees. He was tan, likely from his time spent outdoors, helping out around the farm. There was a spattering of freckles across his cheeks. He watched Qrow approach, his hazel eyes wide with an emotion somewhere between fear and awe.

Qrow stopped several steps in front of the boy, and crouched down to be on his level-- something he'd see Tai do when Ruby or Yang was upset. The kid didn't move, just kept staring at him with impossibly wide eyes.

“Hey, kiddo,” Qrow said. “You probably shouldn't be this far from home. You'll make your parents worry, or something.”

The boy's eyes darted downwards, now trained on his knees. His face flushed link with embarrassment. “Sorry,” he mumbled, so quietly that Qrow almost missed it.

Qrow winced at the apology; lecturing the kid wasn't his intention. He hadn't done anything wrong really, he was just acting like a kid. 

“No need to apologize, pipsqueak,” Qrow said. The boy's eyes flickered up to his face as he spoke, then back down. “How ‘bout I walk you home now though, kid?”

The boy nodded, pulling himself to his feet. Qrow started off in the direction of the village. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the boy was following him. He was, several steps behind, shuffling along.

They walked in silence for several minutes before the boy spoke. “Um…” he started. Qrow turned to face him, and the boy stopped, wringing his hands nervously. He got the feeling that, unlike his outgoing nieces, this boy was shy. “I--thank you. For uh...for saving me. From the Grimm.”

Qrow blinked, momentarily confused and not used to being thanked. He usually didn't take jobs where he dealt with civilians. But then he grinned crookedly. “Don't mention it,” he said, and the boy gave him a small smile. “You got a name, kid?” he asked.

He sped up to walk beside the huntsman, smiling up at the man. His shyness seemed to melt away as he realized Qrow wasn't irritated or angry with him. “I’m Oscar...Oscar Pine.”


	2. Family Dinner

Qrow had intended to walk the kid to his house and be on his way. He had things to do and places to be. If he stuck around the village, it would further delay his return to Vale.

But, as was typical for someone with Qrow's luck, things didn’t go exactly how he'd planned. 

When they arrived at the house Oscar identified as his own, there was a woman about Qrow's age sitting on the steps, wringing her hands worriedly. Qrow couldn’t help but wonder if Oscar had picked up the habit from her. 

She looked up as they approached, looking first as Qrow and then at Oscar. Her eyes widened upon seeing the small boy, and she quickly stood and rushed to meet them.

“Oscar Pine! Where have you been? We've been worried sick about you!” she lectured, pulling him close and checking him for injuries. “I told you it wasn't safe to wander off!”

“Sorry,” Oscar said, sounding far more insincere than he had when apologizing to Qrow.

The huntsman turned to leave, satisfied that Oscar was back where he belonged. But as he started to walk away, the woman turned to him.

“Oh! Wait, please don't go,” she called after him. Qrow honestly considered pretending he couldn’t hear her and continuing on his way. But instead, he sighed and turned back. “You're the huntsman they sent to deal with the Grimm in the area, aren't you? Thank you so much for protecting our village. And thank you for returning Oscar to us safely.”

“Yeah, well. That's my job,” Qrow said, shrugging dismissively. He once again began to walk off when the woman spoke again. 

“You're welcome to stay for dinner. Most of the village is like family, and we'd all love to thank you properly for helping us out,” the woman said.

Qrow opened his mouth to tell the lady “thanks, but no thanks,” but the words died on his lips as he saw Oscar. The kid was bouncing in excited anticipation of Qrow's response.

“I-- guess I can stay a little while,” Qrow said reluctantly, and Oscar cheered. 

That's how Qrow found himself seated at a dinner table with a dozen other people. Most of them had introduced themselves as members of Oscar's family, though there were a few neighbors present. The woman he had met was Oscar's aunt. Uncles, aunts, cousins, and even his grandfather were present, but not Oscar's parents. Qrow decided not to ask.

Oscar sat right next to Qrow, happily introducing each family member, seeming not to notice how awkward Qrow felt. He had never really had a family meal like this, especially not one with so many people. He felt very out of place.

The family asked Qrow about his job as a huntsman. Many of them had never traveled outside of Mistral, and hung off his every word as he told them about the places he had visited. He found it far easier to describe places he'd visited than to talk about himself.

Oscar told Qrow stories about life on the farm. They were generally mundane, as not much seemed to happen in the small farming village, but Qrow listened to them intently anyways. Despite what others thought, Qrow was actually pretty good with kids (most of the time).

“Do you have family back in Vale, Qrow?” Oscar's aunt asked when the conversation began to lull.

Qrow nodded. “I've got my brother-in-law, Tai. He lives in Patch with his two daughters, Yang and Ruby,” he told her. He was careful to avoid any mention of his sister. He wasn’t sure he counted her as family anymore anyways.

But just like that, the conversation shifted. Oscar's family told Qrow stories about Oscar and the trouble he and his cousins caused. After a while, Qrow begrudgingly returned with his own stories about Yang and Ruby's exploits.

Oscar seemed particularly interested in his stories about Ruby. He told them about her newly-discovered semblance, and how she would burst into rose petals and become impossible to keep up with. Oscar listened intently, his eyes wide with awe.

“She sounds amazing,” Oscar said, with the kind of  honesty only a 6 year old could manage.

Several members of Oscar's family laughed at the comment, but Qrow merely smiled fondly. “Yeah, she really is,” he said. 

He passed around the small photo of himself, Ruby, Yang, and Tai that he kept in his pocket with his flask. Several remarks were made about how adorable his nieces were. Oscar, the last to see the photo, started at it intensely, as if trying to commit it to memory before returning it to Qrow.

Qrow slipped the photo back into his pocket and stood. “Thanks for the food, but I really have to get going now,” he said.

Oscar and his aunt saw Qrow to the door. “You're welcome to visit anytime you're in the area,” she told him. Qrow nodded, and descended the stairs from the porch.

“Bye, Mister Qrow! Come visit us soon!” Oscar called after him when he was a ways down the path.

And Qrow was surprised to find that he wanted to come back and visit. That damn kid really grew on him.

He shook his head and pulled out his flask, taking a long sip before taking off in into the night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hope you liked the chapter, and thanks to everyone who read/commented/left kudos on the first chapter. I'm going to try and update this weekly, we'll see how that goes! Thanks for reading!


	3. Distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo, I'm back with a longer than normal chapter! This chapter was my favorite to write, so I really hope you like it!

Whenever Qrow was in Mistral, he stopped by the Pine family's farm. It had become a sort of tradition. Oscar and his family never knew when the huntsman would turn up.

Oscar was almost always the first to see him. When he was younger, he would run down the path to greet the man. But as he got older, he'd wait on the porch, and Qrow would come sit next to him, and they'd just talk before he went to greet the rest of the family.

Qrow was still the slightly grumpy, rough around the edges huntsman Oscar had first met. But he was more than that now. He was pretty much a member of the family.

Qrow would tell Oscar about his life as a huntsman, and occasionally slip in a story or two about Yang and Ruby. Those were always Oscar's favorites. He was amazed by the fact that Ruby was only a little older than him, but she was so kind and brave and adventurous.

Qrow told him that Ruby wanted to be a huntress more than anything in the world. And hearing him talk about Ruby's drive and dedication made Oscar want the same.

As time went on, Qrow's visits became more and more infrequent. He had never visited often, but the visits dwindled from once every few months to once or twice a year. 

At first, when the visits began to dwindle, they were supplemented by letters. The letters were always addressed to Oscar, written in sharp, messy handwriting. He'd always thought the handwriting matched Qrow's personality.

They contained stories, the same kind Qrow would tell him while they sat on the porch. The letters tended to be short, rarely ever covering more than a single sheet of paper, but Oscar treasured them anyways. 

Once, he received a drawing along with the letter. It was a picture of himself, clearly drawn by a child. There was a girl with a red cape drawn next to him, and a taller girl with blonde pigtails next to her. Each figure in the drawing was labeled in Qrow's handwriting. Oscar, Ruby, and Yang. In the corner, the artist had signed her work in even messier handwriting than Qrow.

‘For Oscar, from Ruby’

Oscar was surprised at this. He hadn't realized that the storytelling went both ways. Qrow told Oscar stories of Ruby, and this drawing proved that he told Ruby stories about Oscar.

He kept every letter he received from Qrow, tucked away in a drawer on his nightstand. He taped the picture to the wall.

Then suddenly, they stopped. The letters and the visits.

Oscar was 11 when Qrow stopped visiting. He kept expecting the huntsman to come walking up the old dirt path any day. But as weeks stretched into months, and then more than a year, Oscar realized Qrow might not be coming back.

Oscar knew he was a busy man; he might not have the time to come all the way out to Mistral to visit anymore. During his last visit, he'd told them that Ruby had gotten accepted into Signal Academy, though it would be nearly a year before she actually started. Qrow had mentioned trying to get a teaching position there at some point. Maybe he'd succeeded.

But Oscar was aware that it was equally likely (maybe even MORE likely) that Qrow was killed on a mission. Being a huntsman was a dangerous profession, and while Qrow never outright stated it, Oscar got the feeling that the missions he took were more dangerous than usual. And he couldn't help but feel that if Qrow was simply too busy to visit, he would still send the occasional letter.

Oscar hated not knowing one way or the other. 

If he knew that Qrow was dead, there would be closure. He knew his parents were dead, and yeah, he was sad about it. But that also meant that he didn’t cling desperately to the hope they would come back, only to be crushed a little more each day when they didn’t come back.

There has been a time, back when the visits were frequent, that Oscar thought Qrow wasn't going to come back. The huntsman had been visiting once or twice a month at the time.

During the visit Oscar had feared was the last, he'd finally told Qrow about his parents. They were killed by bandits on their way back from a trip to the city, Oscar had told him. Oscar had been 3 at the time. 

Qrow had been very quiet for the rest of the visit, and left without saying goodbye.

He didn’t come back for 6 months. Oscar thought he had done something wrong.

But he had come back, and Oscar had been assured that the lapse in visits wasn’t his fault. Qrow had just been busy. Oscar wasn't sure he really believed that, though.

But this time was different. Qrow had been gone a year and a half when Oscar finally accepted he wasn't likely to return. But he still had hope.

By the time he was 14, Oscar had settled back into normal life around the farm. He'd work the fields and help around the house. He stopped watching the road for someone he knew wasn't coming. He no longer read over the last letter Qrow sent every night before he went to bed, wondering if they were the last words he'd get from the man. He was almost content with the way things were (at least, that's what he told himself).

Of course, that's when everything had to go wrong.

‘Hello! I'm Professor Ozpin!’

A voice, another person, inside his head. At first, Oscar thought he was going crazy, but the voice assured him he wasn't. (Oscar was inclined to believe that, though he wasn't sure the voice in his head was the most reliable source.)

The voice, Ozpin, urged him to go to Mistral. He told him about his mission, which was now Oscar's mission too. 

Ozpin seemed surprised that it didn’t take much to convince Oscar to leave for Mistral. It surprised Oscar a bit too. Going to Mistral meant leaving his family and the life he knew behind. But if he was honest with himself, he had always wanted an excuse to leave.

Qrow had inspired him to do something more with his life. And now he had his chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! In case you didn't notice, the total number of chapters this fic will have has changed from 4 to 5. The reason for that is that I had about half of what I'd initially planned as the last chapter written, and it is as long as all the other chapters, and would have a point of view change midchapter. So I decided it would split into 2 chapters instead! (Plus, it makes it more likely for me to get the next chapter up within a week)


	4. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! I'm back with another chapter (feat. more angst!)! Thanks to everyone who commented and left kudos; it really means a lot! I hope you enjoy!

The trip to Mistral was longer and more difficult than Oscar had anticipated. He only had the few things he packed: a spare set of clothes, the little spending money he had saved up, a few of Qrow's letters, and Ruby's drawing. The letters were somewhat helpful, as Qrow's stories gave him a slightly better understanding of the world outside the village. Ruby's drawing wasn't really helpful, but it made him smile.

‘I would argue that its ability to bring you joy makes it very useful,’ Ozpin told him.

While the drawing made Oscar happy, he felt a twinge of melancholy every time he looked at it. It took him several days and many instances of looking the drawing over to realize that the melancholy feeling  was from Ozpin. 

When Oscar asked about it, Ozpin avoided the question, though he couldn’t quite hide the flashes of memories that Oscar somehow recognized as the fall of Beacon. Oscar saw Ruby and Yang, along with 2 other girls he didn't recognize, caught up in the chaos. He saw Ozpin himself, protecting a tall, red-haired girl and a blonde boy in armor. And he felt Ozpin's genuine concern for his students. But as quick as the memories and emotions had come, they were gone, as Ozpin pushed them out of Oscar's reach with a soft apology. 

Oscar didn't take the picture out much after that. 

They traveled to Mistral mostly by train (thanks to the large man who got him his ticket, and who instilled Ozpin with a sense of anxiety), but it was still a long ways to travel. They spent several weeks on the train. Oscar spent much of this time gazing out the window as the world passed by. Each town they passed through looked so different from his home, and he was amazed by the variety in scenery. 

During this time, Ozpin told him stories of some of his past adventures. It seemed more like the man was trying to make conversation than actually give Oscar any useful information. Oscar appreciated the gesture anyways; it was nice to not be completely alone. Plus, the stories were similar to the ones Qrow used to tell, and Oscar could almost pretend it was him telling the stories instead. It was comforting to have even the smallest bit of familiarity in such unfamiliar circumstances.

Ozpin did give Oscar some information, though only what he seemed to think was immediately relevant. He had reason to believe Mistral, and Haven Academy in particular, were going to be attacked as Beacon Academy had been. Ozpin's associates should already be in Mistral, and they were going to meet up with them. He informed Oscar that his associates were probably not expecting him, not yet.

It seemed to take an eternity to get there, but they finally arrived in Mistral.

Mistral was a big city in general, but it seemed even bigger to Oscar, who had only ever known his small farming village and a few of the surrounding towns. It was somewhat overwhelming.

“Where do we go now?” Oscar asked. Ozpin hadn't given him the names of his associates, or any idea of where they might be, so it was up to Ozpin to direct him now.

Ozpin directed him through the streets of Mistral. As they went along, the crowds thinned and the streets got narrower. The buildings they passed looked more and more shady. The stopped in front of a bar.

“You want me to go in there?” Oscar asked uncertainly.

‘My associate used to frequent this place whenever he was in Mistral,’ Ozpin offered. ‘Though that was quite some time ago.’

“You don't even know that he’ll be here?” Oscar asked. This was sounding less like a plan and more like a shot in the dark.

Ozpin didn’t respond to that, though Oscar hadn't really expected him to. Oscar sighed and pushed open the door to the bar. He figured the worst thing that could really happen was he'd get kicked out.

The bar was nearly empty, despite it being early evening. There were a few people at tables, and one lone man slumped over at the bar. His back was to Oscar, and his head was buried in his arms. He looked utterly defeated (or maybe he was just passed out drunk).

‘That's him,’ Ozpin said.

“I was afraid you'd say that,” Oscar said. Ozpin’s laugh echoed inside his mind. “What do I even say to him?” Oscar whispered.

Ozpin didn’t answer for a moment, as if he were considering the question. ‘Tell him I'd like my cane back,’ Ozpin finally told him.

Oscar nodded, and slowly shuffled his way to the man at the bar. The bartender gave him an odd look as he approached, but didn’t say anything. Ozpin's associate did not stir.

Oscar reached out and tugged lightly on the back of the man's sleeve. “Um...excuse me,” he said. At first the man gave no reaction. Just when Oscar considered shaking him a bit more, or speaking louder, the man straightened up with a groan.

“Y'know, I don't think they serve kids--” the man started to say, turning to face Oscar, but cut himself off when his gaze landed on him. “Oscar?” the man asked, bewildered.

Oscar's eyes widened. “Qrow?” he asked, sounding even more surprised than the huntsman.

Qrow stood, stumbling slightly, and closed the distance between the two, wrapping Oscar in a hug. Oscar could feel Ozpin's surprise at the familiarity, along with a twinge of guilt that he didn’t quite understand.

“It's good to see you again, kiddo,” Qrow said. “But what are you doing all the way out here, in Mistral?”

Oscar hesitated, unsure of where to start. His eye caught on something at Qrow's waist, and he remembered what Ozpin had told him earlier.

“I'm supposed to tell you...I'd like my cane back?”

Qrow's face fell at those words. “Oh,” was all he said, before silently handing the cane over to Oscar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!
> 
> Also. Fun Fact! I'm gay and bad at math, and this story is going to have TWO more chapters instead of the one more chapter I had planned! I do believe that 6 chapters will be the final total for this story, though.


	5. Regret

Qrow sat in his favorite bar (okay, favorite bar that he wasn't banned from) in Mistral, head in his hands. He had already downed a few drinks, but they hadn't quite managed to drown out the hopelessness he felt. Leo hadn't been much help, insisting that they needed approval from the council or something to move forward with their plan. His mind was too fuzzy from the alcohol to remember the details. 

In fact, the only thing he remembered with clarity was the realization that they may not be able to stop the attack on Haven Academy. The realization that it might be the fall of Beacon all over again.

He wondered if Ruby and her friends had come to that same realization. Maybe he should've stayed with them...

A voice pulled Qrow from his brooding thoughts. “Um...excuse me,” the small voice said, accompanied by a tug on his sleeve. Qrow considered ignoring it; maybe the kid would get the hint and leave him alone. He wasn't in the mood for company, or dealing with lost children, or whatever else this kid might want. He had enough to deal with as it was.

But instead of ignoring him, Qrow groaned and sat up, hoping to deal with whatever the kid wanted quickly and go back to drinking.

“Y'know, I don't think they serve kids--” he started to say, turning toward the kid. But he stopped when he saw the boy's face. He blinked a few times, almost expecting the figure on front of him to disappear, or morph into someone else. But nothing changed. Those familiar hazel eyes continued to stare at him, and he saw the same realization he felt mirrored in those eyes. “Oscar?” Qrow asked.

“Qrow?” Oscar asked, looking equally bewildered. So the kid wasn't here looking for him? Then what was he doing so far from home? A million questions raced through Qrow's mind, but he pushed them away.

He got to his feet, the room spinning, and stumbled over to Oscar. He wrapped his arms tightly around the boy. It had been a bad day, but seeing Oscar again made it better, no matter the reason he was here.

“It's good to see you again, kiddo,” Qrow said, and he genuinely meant it despite his confusion. “But what are you doing all the way out here, in Mistral?”

Oscar hesitated before answering, looking almost like he was conferring with someone. “I'm supposed to tell you...I'd like my cane back?”

Qrow felt his blood run cold. Out of anything Oscar could’ve said (well, almost anything, anyways) that was what Qrow least expected or wanted to hear.

“Oh,” he said. Wordlessly, he handed the boy the cane. Even if he wanted to, there were no words to voice the horror and sadness he felt at this realization.

Qrow had expected Ozpin to show up sooner or later, though he hadn't expected him this soon. And he had expected him to have a new host. Qrow knew all about how Ozpin's reincarnation worked, so the new face wasn't all that surprising. 

But Qrow wasn't prepared for Ozpin's new host to be someone he knew. He never expected Oz to come back wearing an all too familiar face.

Oscar was just about the last person that Qrow wanted to see as Ozpin's new host. He was so young, he didn’t deserve this burden that had been placed on him.

Qrow loved both Oscar and Ozpin, but he loved them differently, and as individuals. He didn’t want to watch Oscar become just another part of the amalgamation that was Ozpin. He didn’t want Oscar to become just another one of Oz's lives. 

And maybe some part of him had secretly hoped that he and Oz could have the same kind of relationship they had when he was Ozpin. That Ozpin reincarnating wouldn't change their relationship. That was not possible with Oscar as Ozpin's host, for obvious reasons.

Qrow wondered, belatedly, if this was somehow his fault. His semblance was bad luck, after all. Had it caused Ozpin to be reincarnated into the last person Qrow wanted? Was it his fault that, out of all the strangers in the world, Ozpin reincarnated as someone familiar?

It was bad enough that he was probably responsible (directly or indirectly, it was all the same) for the murder of the boy's parents. Qrow didn't think he could live with the knowledge that he had further ruined Oscar's life. 

Suddenly, Qrow realized that Oscar was watching him, a worried expression on his face. 

“Qrow?” he asked, sounding concerned. Qrow could tell from his tone and expression that Oscar been trying to get his attention for a while.

Qrow shook his head. “I'm fine,” he said, which earned him a disbelieving frown from the boy. “Really, I am, Oscar. It's just...I didn’t expect this. I need some time to process it all.”

There was a pause, and if Qrow knew Ozpin, he knew that the old wizard was telling Oscar that while Qrow's words weren't entirely true, he should leave it be for now. 

“Okay,” Oscar replied reluctantly, just as Qrow had expected.

“This is fine,” Qrow said, more to himself than anyone else. Then he turned to the bar and knocked back the drink in front of him, pretending he couldn't see Oscar's concerned look. In the past, Ozpin had looked at him the same way. 

Qrow was certain he could drink away his sorrows and guilt, his hopelessness. He just needed to try harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Thanks to everyone who's read, commented, and left kudos, it means a lot that so many people are enjoying this story that started off as a self-indulgent AU. Just one chapter left!


	6. Resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hnnng I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I hope y'all enjoy!

‘So...you know each other,’

It was the first time Ozpin had spoken since Oscar had seen Qrow. They had left the bar, and Oscar was trying to get himself and Qrow back to where Qrow and a few students were staying. The man was stumbling about, and Oscar had to keep him from stumbling into something every few feet.

“Yeah,” Oscar answered. When it was clear that Ozpin was waiting for an explanation, he continued. “Qrow saved me from a Grimm attack when I was little. He sort of became part of the family after that, visiting when he could.”

‘I see…’ Ozpin said. Oscar could feel him sorting through Oscar's memories of Qrow. He allowed him too; it would be quicker and easier than having to explain his past with Qrow.

‘I had always wondered why Qrow favored missions in Mistral over the other kingdoms. I suppose I have my answer now,’ Ozpin mused after some time.

“I have to ask,” Oscar started hesitantly. “Were you and Qrow…?” he trailed off, unsure of exactly what he wanted to ask.

Ozpin seemed to understand. ‘Our relationship was a complicated one, Oscar. Qrow and I were friends, and maybe, at some points, something more than that. It was all very unclear. Our positions, the way things were, the way I am, it just made things very…’ Ozpin trailed off.

“Complicated?” Oscar finished for him.

‘Yes,’ Ozpin said. ‘And I imagine things will be even more complicated now. Neither of us will be able to have the relationship we once had with Qrow, and I understand if you're upset about that. You have every reason to be angry with me.’

“But I'm not,” Oscar said, and he was surprised to find that it was the truth. “I'm maybe a little disappointed, but you're not asking me to give up anything you aren't losing too.”

Oscar could feel Ozpin's surprise. ‘I...forgive me, my hosts usually are not this understanding. Most don't understand that I make sacrifices too.’

“Yeah well, most of your previous hosts weren't making the same sacrifices as you. It's easier to see when we're sacrificing the same thing,” Oscar explained, herding Qrow away from another wall.

‘Yes, I suppose you're right,’ Ozpin agreed. After a moment, he added, ‘but I doubt that Qrow will accept the sacrifices he needs to make quite so easily.’

Oscar bit his lip, watching Qrow stumble about drunkenly. It was a visual reminder that Qrow was already taking this badly. “We'll just have to help him accept it,” Oscar said. It wasn’t an answer, but it was the best that either of them could offer.

It took them far longer than it should have to reach the house. Keeping Qrow on track was a far more difficult task than Oscar had anticipated, and he was glad that they had reached their destination. At this point, he wouldn't mind dumping the responsibility of babysitting a drunk, full-grown huntsman onto someone else.

He knocked lightly on the door.

There was no answer. “Maybe they're not home?” Oscar suggested quietly.

‘I doubt that is the case,’ Ozpin replied.

Finally, just as Oscar was debating knocking louder, the door opened. A tall, blonde boy, one that Oscar recognized from Ozpin's memories but couldn't quite put a name to, stood at the door.

He looked bewildered, clearly not expecting a child to be standing at the door. Based on his posture, and the posture of the red haired girl and the black haired boy behind him, they had been expecting an attack.

“Can I...help you?” the blonde boy (‘Jaune,’ Ozpin supplied helpfully) asked.

“Uh…” Oscar replied, realizing he had no idea what to say. Luckily, he didn’t really have to say much, as Qrow stumbled into the room behind him.

“I found him!” Qrow slurred, sounding less than happy about that fact. He trudged over to the couch as the 4 watched him carefully, then face planted into the couch, still mumbling incoherently.

“Oh,” Jaune said. “I guess that answers some questions.”

“What is going on out there?” a voice called angrily from the next room. “Can't a girl read her comics in peace?!”

And there she was. The girl that Qrow had been telling him stories about for years. The girl he'd spent a good deal of his childhood looking up to, despite never meeting her. Ruby Rose. Oscar felt Ozpin's amusement at his reaction in the back of his mind. 

‘She is quite extraordinary,’ Ozpin agreed, responding to Oscar's thoughts.

Ruby wasn't looking at Oscar though. She was watching Qrow, an exasperated expression on her face. “Uncle Qrow, did you get drunk again?”

“Maybe,” Qrow groaned into the pillow.

Ruby sighed, then turned to Oscar. “Thank you. For going through the trouble to make sure he got home safely. I…” she stopped, eyes widening as she really looked at him. “Do I know you?”

Jaune, and the other students (who Ozpin informed him were named Nora and Ren), all turned to look at him more closely at this, as if trying to recognize him from somewhere. Oscar found himself uncomfortable with suddenly being the center of attention.

“Not...exactly,” Oscar said. Oscar glanced over at Qrow, wishing he was coherent enough to explain things. Instead, he just said the first thing that came to mind. “It's nice to finally meet you, Ruby Rose.”

Ruby's eyes clouded with confusion when he addressed her by name. She studied him for a moment longer before something seemed to click. She glanced between him Qrow. “Are you...Oscar?” she asked, unsure.

Oscar practically beamed at the recognition, and Ruby smiled back upon realizing she was correct. “Uncle Qrow told me so much about you! It's nice to finally meet you in person!” Ruby exclaimed.

She bounded forward and embraced a bewildered Oscar in a hug. After a moment, Oscar returned the embrace.

“But what are you doing in Mistral, Oscar? Uncle Qrow said you were from a village out near the edge of the kingdom,” Ruby asked.

“It's...a long story,” Oscar replied, not really sure how much he was supposed to share with the students, or how to explain it in a way they understood.

‘Just tell them the truth, Oscar. They're some of my best students, they will understand,’ Ozpin assured.

“Will someone please explain what's going on? Who's the kid?” Jaune whined.

“I’m Oscar Pine,” Oscar answered. “But you may know me better as Professor Ozpin.”

As he explained things to the group of students, they seemed to take it pretty well, despite their confusion. Even more comforting was the fact that, over the next few days, Ruby seemed to be trying her hardest to make sure Oscar knew he was part of the group.

Oscar had spent years idolizing Ruby, and somehow she managed to be even more amazing than he had ever imagined.

She was delighted when Oscar admitted that he had kept the picture she'd drawn all those years ago, even if she was slightly embarrassed upon seeing it again. She looked sad when her fingers traced over the drawing of her sister, who Oscar couldn’t help but notice was absent. From Ozpin's memories, he had gotten the idea that the sisters were close. It was strange that she wasn’t here.

In fact, Oscar quickly learned that none of Ruby's team was here. Jaune, Nora, and Ren were the remaining members of another team, Team JNPR. Ozpin seemed curious as to why the other 3 members of Team RWBY weren't with their leader. But Ozpin seemed to feel it was inappropriate to ask about it, and Oscar didn't want to dredge up the bad memories he assumed went along with the answer to that question.

Oscar had also spoken to Qrow, and made sure he knew how Oscar and Ozpin felt about this new situation. Qrow hadn't seemed entirely happy, but he did seem comforted by the fact that Oscar was willing to bear this burden.

Oscar had allowed Ozpin to take over and talk to Qrow as well. He assured Qrow that he wasn't losing him or Oscar, not really. He'd explained that while the situation wasn't ideal, it wasn't as bad as Qrow was imagining, either. That seemed to bring Qrow more comfort than Oscar's assurances.

Oscar knew there would be a long and difficult road before him. But he had the support of Ozpin, of Ruby, Jaune, Nora, and Ren, and if Qrow. He may have a heavy burden to bear, but he would never have to bear it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all, folks!   
> Thanks so much to all of you who have followed along and read this story. This started out as a little one-shot that I wrote at a party so I didn't have to socialize. I never expected it to grow into a multichapter story. It means a lot to have gotten so much positive feedback on it!  
> And if any of y'all wanna scream about RWBY with me, you can find me on Tumblr @conehatboyf!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> I'm hoping to finish this fic fairly quickly, as I already have the first 2 chapters written and I have the other 2 chapters outlined. I can't guarantee regular updates, but I'll try not to let too much time pass between posting chapters.  
> In the meantime, I'm on tumblr @conehatboyf, so feel free to come scream about RWBY with me!


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